Saint Katharine Drexel Preparatory School ELA Summer Reading List 2021-2022 - cloudfront.net
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Saint Katharine Drexel
Preparatory School
ELA Summer Reading List
2021-2022
ELA 8TH
Required Book: The Call of the Wild by Jack London
Summer Reading Choices:
1. The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
Essay Prompt: Write an essay explaining why you believe each of
the Greasers - Ponyboy, Johnny, and Dally - could be considered a
hero. Include your own definition of a hero in the essay, and be sure
to explain how each character, in his own way, meets your definition.
Remember to support your ideas with examples from the book.
2. Sounder by William H. Armstrong
Essay Prompt: Write an essay about the following topic: “Being
scared helps you to grow up.” Think about a situation in your life
where you were frightened and had to move forward anyway.
Describe how you came through the situation, and describe how you
grew from the experience.
English I (9th Grade)
Required Book: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Summer Reading Choices:
1. Night by Elie WeiselEssay Prompt: The decisions people make often have a significant
impact on their lives. Think of the decisions Elie Weisel was forced to make
in the book Night. Discuss at least THREE decisions Elie made and
analyze how those decisions positively or negatively impacted his life and
affected his identity and innocence.
2. Number the Stars by Lois Lowery
Essay Prompt: Write an essay that explains what the quote “Being
brave means not thinking about the dangers” means to you. (p.123)
English I Honors (9th Grade Honors)
Required Book: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Summer Reading Choices
1. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Essay Prompt: Anne Frank says in spite of everything, she believes
everyone is good at heart. Do you believe that everyone is good at
heart? Why or why not?
(2) I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Essay Prompt: What characters serve as positive role models for
Maya Angelou? How does Angelou come to her conclusion about the
strength of a black woman? Use information from the story to support
your claim.
English II (10th Grade)
Required Book: Henrietta’s Dance by Rebecca Skloot or
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Summer Reading Choices1. A Raisin In the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
Essay Prompt: Have you ever had to make an important decision
about money? If you and your family received a large sum of money
from an inheritance and the will included the entire family, would the
money be split democratically or would a particular family member
get to decide it is to be divided? In what ways would this money make
the family feel liberated? In what ways would this situation cause
tension among the family members? Compare your point of view to
the decisions that the characters in Lorraine Hansberry’s play make.
2. Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Issacson
Essay Prompt: Issacson believes the term “genus” is too easily
applied to people, but that Leonardo was one of the few people in
history who indisputably deserved - or, to be more precise, earned -
that appellation.” Do you agree with Issacson about the overuse of
the term “genius?” How is genius defined? Can you think of someone
in either today’s world or in history who would qualify as a genius?
English II Honors (10th Grade Honors)
Required Book: Henrietta’s Dance by Rebecca Skloot or
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Summer Reading Choices:
1. Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Issacson
Essay Prompt: Issacson believes the term “genus” is too easily applied to
people, but that Leonardo was one of the few people in history who
indisputably deserved - or, to be more precise, earned - that appellation.”
Do you agree with Issacson about the overuse of the term “genius?” How is
genius defined? Can you think of someone in either today’s world or in
history who would qualify as a genius?
2. Beloved by Toni Morrison
Essay Prompt: In an essay, discuss the relationship between the
slave mother and her children. How were they during slavery? What
was life like after slavery? Cite examples from the story that indicate
any changes and support your claims.English III (11th Grade)
Required Book: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald or
American Dream by Norman Mailer
Summer Reading Choices
1. A Street Car Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
Essay Prompt: Despite Blanche’s past life, her deceit and her
manipulation of characters, the readers, and the viewers of the play,
all tend to sympathize with her. In an essay, explain how this
emotional reaction from all parties can be justified by identifying and
describing three instances that illustrate her manipulation.
2. The True Story of Pocahontas by Linwood Custalow
Essay Prompt: After reading the book and viewing the Disney
movie, Pocahontas, compare and contrast the ways in which
Pocahontas is portrayed in regards to the way she represented her
people as well as her relationship with the Europeans.
English III Honors (11th Grade Honors)
Required Book: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald or
American Dream by Norman Mailer
Summer Reading Choices
1. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Essay Prompt: Compare/contrast the characters of Lennie and
George. Is their relationship similar to that of brothers, father/child, or
best friends? Cite examples from the story that support your claims.
2. The Joy Luck Club by Amy TanEssay Prompt: Using any three of the mother/daughter pairs, show
how the East-West conflict affected their relationships. Use examples
from the story to support your claims.
English IV (12th Grade)
Required Book: Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Summer Reading Choices
1. Othello by William Shakespeare
Essay Prompt: In an essay, discuss how age, social position, and
race impact the relationship between Othello and Desdemona. Cite
examples from the play to support your claims.
2. Emma by Jane Austen
Essay Prompt: In an essay, consider in order the instances when
Emma arrives at some degree of knowledge. Relate these instances
to the plot pattern.
English IV Honors (12th Grade Honors)
Required Book: Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Summer Reading Choices
1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Essay Prompt: In an essay, compare and contrast the characters of
Edward Rochester and St. John Rivers. What were their strengths
and weaknesses? Why does Jane choose Rochester over St. John?
Cite examples from the text to support your claims.
2. Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Essay Prompt: In an essay, discuss how the character Sydney
Carton changes from the beginning of the novel to the end. Citeexamples from the text to support your claims.
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